NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: The Former Genius, Now Fallen
Chapter 2: The Former Genius, Now Fallen
Tianyuan City, the capital of the Tianyuan Empire, was where noble families and sects stood tall. Among them, the Ye family was one of the four major families, wielding immense power.
“Today’s the day the Ye family tests their strength, right?” one person asked.
“Yes, and Ye Qiubai will participate too, I suppose?” another responded.
“That Ye Qiubai is indeed a pity. He mistakenly entered the Sword Saint’s forbidden territory, suffered a severe sword energy attack, and although he managed to survive, his cultivation was completely ruined, his meridians destroyed, and his talent greatly diminished.”
“Ye Qiubai, once the top talent in Tianyuan City, has now fallen to such a state. It’s truly lamentable.”
“Yes… Ye Qiubai’s straightforward personality also offended many powerful individuals, and now that his cultivation is gone, the Ye family has abandoned him. I wonder if he can pass this test…”
At the Ye family ancestral hall, many people gathered around a high platform. On the platform stood a Heavenly Stone that could test one’s talent and strength.
“Next, Ye Qiubai!”
Ye Qiubai, holding a sword, quietly stood up from the corner and walked towards the Heavenly Stone. The surrounding crowd gazed at him with a mix of pity and mockery. After all, someone who had once stood so high would fall so hard.
On the platform, three people sat, with Ye Jingtian, the head of the Ye family and Ye Qiubai’s father, at the center. Looking at his son, who was holding a sword but remained silent, Ye Jingtian sighed softly, wondering why his son’s fate had been so tumultuous.
Beside Ye Jingtian stood a woman with elegant clothes and a cold expression, gazing at the scene with indifference.
Ye Qiubai arrived at the Heavenly Stone. An elder with a cold face said,
“Ye Qiubai, place your hand on the Heavenly Stone.”
Ye Qiubai glanced at the elder, who had previously smiled at him, then looked up and gazed at the woman with a cold expression. Their eyes met, and a hint of sadness flashed across his face.
In their childhood, they had been inseparable, practicing cultivation, exploring treasures, and sharing meals together. As they grew older, their families arranged their marriage, but after Ye Qiubai’s cultivation was ruined, the engagement was canceled, and the marriage contract was destroyed. The little girl he once knew had become a stranger.
He withdrew his gaze and placed his hand on the Heavenly Stone. A faint light flickered on the stone, and the elder announced, “Ye Qiubai, your cultivation is at the third level, and your talent is below average.”
Ye Qiubai thought to himself, “As expected. I’m no longer the genius I once was.”
The elder sneered, “Perhaps he’s used to being a genius and can’t accept being ordinary, so he wants to try again.”
“But Ye Qiubai has offended many people before, so now, his future looks bleak.”
“Regardless, from now on, there is no place for Ye Qiubai in the Ye family… or in all of Tianyuan City.”
Ye Jingtian, the head of the Ye family, watched the scene with a grim expression. The woman seemed to have known the outcome all along and didn’t say a word, turning to leave. She had only come to verify that Ye Qiubai’s cultivation was indeed ruined.
Ye Qiubai heard the mocking words around him and couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. Yes, he no longer had a place in the Ye family, one of the four major families of the Tianyuan Empire, a top-tier noble family. How could they accept a worthless person like him, who had lost his cultivation? The news of this will also bring shame!
Ye Qiubai looked at the sword in his hand and gazed at the departing figure of the woman. Suddenly, as if he had come to a realization, he spoke loudly to his father,
“Father, I will leave the Ye family today and venture out on my own. I hope you will agree!”
Staying in the Ye family would only bring him shame and trouble, and it would be better for him to leave and seek his own opportunities.
Ye Jingtian knew his son’s thoughts and could only sigh, “Have you thought this through?”
Ye Qiubai’s eyes were determined, and he nodded. He had to leave and find his own way, even if the chance of restoring his cultivation was slim.
Ye Jingtian, as the head of the family, had no choice but to agree. He would rather let his son venture out on his own than let him stay in the Ye family and suffer humiliation. Moreover, the elders would not allow Ye Qiubai, who had lost his cultivation, to remain in the family.
Ye Qiubai bowed and left the Ye family.
****
After exiting Tianyuan City, he entered a dense forest. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks and looked at the three black-clothed men in front of him. He seemed to have anticipated this and smiled calmly,
“You’ve been following me for so long. Finally, you can’t bear it anymore?”
The grudge from before had finally erupted. One of them sneered, “Ye Qiubai, you knew this day would come. Why bother resisting?”
Ye Qiubai smiled, “Even if I could turn back time, I would still do the same.” As he spoke, he grasped a jade pendant in his hand. He knew someone would come to kill him, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t prepare.
“I wonder, who is so eager to get rid of me?” he asked.
The black-clothed men laughed coldly, “What can you do even if you know? You won’t have the chance to avenge yourself anyway. Besides, you’ve offended many people in recent years, what’s the point of asking?”
“That’s not necessarily true…” Ye Qiubai tightened his grip on the jade pendant. This was the only thing he had brought out from the Sword Saint’s inheritance site, containing an array technique that, once released, would be impossible for these three to resist. However, with his current strength, he might not be able to withstand the counterforce of the array either. But he had no other choice now.
“Then…” The leader raised his sword and slashed at Ye Qiubai! The sword’s blade shone with a fierce light, overwhelming Ye Qiubai! His opponent didn’t hold back at all, using their full strength to aim for a one-hit kill!
Ye Qiubai’s face tensed, and just as he was about to throw out the jade pendant, a figure in a green robe appeared before him. With a flick of their finger, the sword landed on their fingertip, unable to move any further! The sword’s blade seemed to sink into their finger like a stone into the ocean, without any reaction!
“I can’t let you kill him. If he dies, where will I find a disciple like him?”
“Who are you?” The black-clothed men’s faces changed, and they quickly retreated, drawing their swords.
“I?”
The green-robed man shook his head, pointing his finger repeatedly. Instantly, two of them had a bloody hole appear on their foreheads. The remaining one was already stunned in place.
The green-robed man looked at
Ye Qiubai and smiled, “As for the last one, do you want to ask him who wants to kill you?”